How to Melt and Pour Soap Embeds in Cold Process

Do you want to know how long it takes to melt soap in cold process? If YES, here is a 11-step guide on how to melt and pour soap embeds in cold process. Embeds is known as a unique and simple way to create an interesting design. You can add whatever shapes you like in or on top of soap – circles, moons, stars, etc. It’s also a great way to use leftover soap scraps.

However, if you are making embeds the same day as the base soap, they need about 2-4 hours to fully cool and harden. If you are making them a few days in advance, you will have to wrap the soap in plastic wrap and store it in a cool, dry place to prevent glycerine dew.

When you are ready to make soap, remember that it involves cutting the long embed to fit the mould or keep the smaller embeds nearby. You will also have to carefully pour a thin layer of base soap into the mould and allow it to cool and harden for 10-20 minutes.

It also involves pouring another thin layer of soap, spritzing embeds and the soap in the mould with 99 percent isopropyl alcohol, and placing embeds where you want it. You may need to hold it in place for a few seconds. Finally, you may also have to pour in more base soap until it’s covered.

If you are short on time or if you like the transparent look of melt and pour, this is a great option. The key is to use LCP Clear and LCP White Melt and Pour Soap Base. They have less glycerine than the regular bases, so they have little to no sweating. That means they are less likely to shrink or morph in cold process soap.

Also note that another key is to keep lye and oil temperatures low – around 110-120° F – to keep embeds from melting. When the soap is in the mould, keep it uncovered at a cool room temperature for the same reason. Embedding is easy – just make sure your trace is thick enough to support them. You don’t need to spray alcohol on the soap embeds, just pop them in.

How Long Does the Cold Process Embeds Take?

Cold process embeds need 1-2 days to harden in the mould. It’s helpful to use fresh soap and the same recipe for the base and embeds because they will shrink at the same rate in the shower.

Note that you may notice some irregularities if you are using older soap or a different recipe, but it’s mostly an aesthetic issue. It will still feel great on the skin! From there, you can embed the soap like normal. You don’t need to worry about temperatures like you do for melt and pour, so feel free to gel the soap if you like.

11 Steps to Melt and Pour Soap Embeds in Cold Process

You can embed a lot of things in melt and pour soaps, from toys to herbs to dried flowers. Making embedded soap can seem a bit daunting, but using either a melt and pour or cold process method can help you make these beautiful soaps. Below is a typical example of how a melt and pour soap can be embedded in Cold Process.

Ingredients

• 5 lb. Wood Mould with Sliding Bottom
• Silicone Liner for 5 lb. Mould
• 38 oz. Lots of Lather Quick Mix
• 5 oz. Sodium Hydroxide Lye
• 3 oz. Distilled Water (10 percent water discount)
• 5 oz. Crisp Cotton Fragrance Oil
• Titanium Dioxide
• About 20-25 oz. Premade Cold Process Soap (cut into chunks)

Instructions

1. First, use a sharp knife to chop premade cold process soap into small chunks. The exact size and shape is up to you. Don’t worry about the pieces being completely uniform – variety in size and shape adds interest.
2. Measure 2.5 ounces of Crisp Cotton Fragrance Oil into a small glass container and set aside.
3. Disperse 3 teaspoons of titanium dioxide into 2 tablespoons of lightweight liquid oil such as sunflower or sweet almond oil. Use a mini mixer to get rid of clumps.
4. Suit up for safe handling practices. That means goggles, gloves, and long sleeves. Make sure kids, pets, other distractions, and tripping hazards are out of the house or don’t have access to your soaping space. Always soap in a well-ventilated area.
5. Slowly and carefully add 5.5 ounces of lye to 11.3 ounces of distilled water. Gently stir until the lye has fully dissolved. Set it aside to cool. If you’d like a harder bar of soap that releases faster from the mould, you can add sodium lactate to the cooled lye water. Use 1 teaspoon of sodium lactate per pound of oils in the recipe. For this recipe, you’d add 2.5 teaspoons sodium lactate.
6. Carefully melt the entire bag of Lots of Lather until it’s completely clear. Shake the bag to mix up all the oils. Measure 38 ounces into a heat-safe bowl. Once the lye water and the oils have cooled to 130 degrees F or below (and are ideally within 10 degrees of each other), add the lye water to the oils and stick blend the mixture to a thin trace.
7. Add the 2.5 ounces of Crisp Cotton Fragrance Oil and use the stick blender to mix in.
8. Add all of the dispersed titanium dioxide. If the soap is still thin, use the stick blender to mix until you reach a medium trace. If the soap is already at medium trace, use a whisk to mix in the colorant.
9. Add the cold process embeds into the soap and use a large spatula to thoroughly combine. As you are adding the soap embeds, separate any pieces that are sticking together.
10. Then pour the soap into the mould. Tap the mould firmly on the counter to help get rid of any bubbles. Use a large spoon or spatula to smooth the top, and press down any embeds that are sticking out.
11. Spritz the soap with 99 percent isopropyl alcohol to prevent soda ash. Do not forget that the lower temperatures and water discount will help prevent Glycerine Rivers. If you live in an extremely hot climate, you may want to place the mould in to the fridge for several hours to prevent gel phase. Allow the soap to stay in the mould for 1-3 days. Once the soap is firm enough, unmold and cut into bars. Allow to cure for 4-6 weeks and enjoy.

Conclusion

Although Melt and Pour soap incorporates synthetic substances which may range from foaming agents and alcohol-based emulsifiers to solvents, these chemical elements enable Melt and Pour soap to liquefy in order that it may be formed into the preferred design. Cold process soaps usually contain less Glycerine than Melt and Pour soaps, thus they are more likely to be drying on the skin. But when both are embedded together, it combines their benefits to give you a unique product.